Ultrastructural Studies on the Thyroid Gland of Dromedary Camel (Camelus dromedarius)

Background: The previously reported information on the ultrastructure of the thyroid gland of the camel is meager as compared to other domestic animals; thus, the present study was designed to provide the ultrastructural features of the thyroid gland in the camel. Methods: The thyroid glands were collected from naturally died sixteen camels ( n=16) of both sexes from Veterinary Clinical Complex, RAJUVAS, Bikaner, Rajasthan. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the thyroid gland was done at Sophisticated Analytical Instrumental Facility (SAIF), Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. The standard protocol of AIIMS, New Delhi, was followed for electron microscopy. Result: The thyroid gland of the camel consisted of thyroid follicles comprised of cuboidal thyroid follicular cells. The follicular cells contained a nucleus with heterochromatin concentrated marginally on the nuclear membrane and the euchromatin was well dispersed in the nucleus with well-marked nucleoli. The nucleus of the follicular cell was rounded. The apical regions of the plasma membrane in follicular cells consisted of microvilli, which were numerous, thinner and finger-like in outline. The mitochondria appeared as round, oval, rod-shaped and dumbbell-shaped. The rough endoplasmic reticulum was visible as elongated, irregular, elliptical cisterns. The Golgi complex was well marked and consisted of flattened sacs, vacuoles and small vesicles. The parafollicular cells were found in small numbers and positioned basally between two follicular cells, close to the basement membrane. It can be concluded that the ultrastructure of the thyroid gland of the camel does not differ from that of other mammalian species.